freddyfivetoes

Forget the (deserved) slap delivered upon Little Ben. Both riders were fined for their scuffle, which was Act I. The exclusion (a word I've been wanting to use correctly ever since they changed the rule-book) from the meeting came from Act II The closed-doors session, during which Cook apparently did become a Monster, and had to go.

Riding order (I presume) on Berwick website: 1 Artur Czaja (Poland), 2. Piotr Pawlicki (Poland), 3. Kacper Gomolski (Poland), 4. Vaclav Milik (Czech Republic), 5. Nichlas Porsing (Denmark), 6. Lasse Bjerre (Denmark), 7. Patryk Dudek (Poland), 8. Adam Strzelec (Poland), 9. Mikkel Michelsen (Denmark), 10. Adam Ellis (Great Britain), 11. Vladimir Borodulin (Russia), 12. Mikkel Bech (Denmark), 13. Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland), 14. Kyle Howarth (Great Britain), 15. Nikolaj Jakobsen (Denmark), 16. Andzejs Lebedevs (Latvia), reserves: 17. Robert Branford (Great Britain) and 18. Ashley Morris (Great Britain). The presence of two young riders (Dudek and Bech) who have already been in World Cup-winning teams highlights the quality of the field. For the British contestants, the night will be a rewarding experience, giving riders such as Kyle Howarth and Adam Ellis invaluable experience for their continuing march up the ladder of international speedway success. “We have nominated Kyle and Adam to race at Berwick because they have already shown us how willing they are to move up to the highest levels of competition” explained GB’s U-21 coach Neil Vatcher

Are you sure about that? I was told the names of two British riders yesterday who had (allegedly) been nominated. Plus two British-licenced reserves.

Wedcar website (sorry, Redcar rebsite) casts doubts over Matej Kus being fit to resume at home tonight. So maybe r/r for them on Saturday? If so, everyone but Oestergaard gets an extra ride, which probably helps the Bears.

Well, to the one complainer above who thinks this meeting was boring.... Berwick Advertiser today: BERWICK BANDITS 54, SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 36 Anyone coming along to this Premier league clash between two current mid-table sides with the thoughts that it would be a ‘run of the mill meeting’ were sadly mistaken! This one had it all. Ten re-runs for various reasons, tape malfunction, falls (thankfully no serious injuries) exclusions, a one rider finish in one heat and, yes, Kozza Smith back to his ebullient self, in amongst the fans after Heat 13, ‘high fiving’ his way along the rows! This was Premier League racing at it’s most unpredictable best! In the end the Bandits were comfortable and deserved winners but take nothing away from league champions Scunthorpe, for they contributed to an entertaining night and probably deserved more points for their efforts, looking really sharp early on. However, the solid display of the home side (every Berwick rider won or was paid for a race win) always looked as if it would carry the Bandits to the three league points. Pick of the home team? Smith, obviously, swash buckling his way from the back in almost all his races, just like the Kozza of 2011. Bellego, pointless in Heat 1 then producing terrific racing going unbeaten in his next four outings. Guest Lewis Kerr, nine points from four rides, an inspirational choice at reserve and this after a nasty fall in Heat 12. However, Messrs. Wethers, Aspegren, Kennett (in his last Berwick appearance) and Starke all contributed. The Scorpions blew hot and cold at times but falls and exclusions did not help them. Most of their septet looked capable of race wins with Josh Auty showing his prowess again at number one. The visitors had got off to a good start with an opening heat 4-2, won by Thomas Jorgensen who looked quick but Berwick hit back with a reserves race 5-1 from Kerr and Paul Starke. Ashley Birks got himself excluded in heat three (tapes) and in the re run it looked a sure fire Aspegren win until he snapped a primary chain, high-siding him off. Scorpions got it back level in four before we had a starting tapes malfunction in five, quickly sorted though and the scores still level at 15-15. Bandits got themselves in front in six and were to increase the lead in eight to eight points with another maximum. Heat nine was full of incident! Both visitors (Douglas and Howe) were excluded for different falls and then a certain looking home 5-0 evaporated late on the third lap when Matty Wethers stopped. Despite his valiant efforts to push for over a lap in hot conditions he failed the time allowance. Not a happy Bandit! Birks then got excluded in the next one for taking off team mate Palm Toft and in 11 a certain looking visiting 8-1 (Auty on a tac ride) all blew apart on the final bend with leader Jorgensen slowing too much, allowing Smith to sneak second. Lewis Blackbird was the next to get an exclusion, taking off Kerr in 12 before Smith produced the race of the night to pass Auty in 13 in terrific style. Bandits then took the last two races 8-4 and it was over! Phew!

So which part of the word 'suspected' don't you understand?

Probably the first time I've ever agreed with one of The Abbott's posts.

Who cares? BSP seems to have more of a life, and less of an agenda against the club, than the "odd couple".

Howarth didn't do his chances much good at Pila, but BSPA (who get the takings, rather than the Berwick promotion) will have an eye on the travelling support to be attracted from Workington. As the FIM put Kyle into a round in Poland, is there a chance they might nominate David Bellego (on the same financial grounds) to be the other wild card? As for Branford, I'd suggest Australian U-21 champion Max Fricke (again a good local attraction) might be a better bet

Tatum broke a bone in his back, riding for Berwick in the Gold Cup Final (Bandits won -- their only big-league trophy) at Oxford, the week before the WTC that year.

Berwick have posted on their website that Ricky Ashworth has been cleared by neorologists to resume, but that he has been out of action for a long time, and is going to take time to practice, attempt to get race-fit and generally see how he feels. Meantime, Eddy Kennett continues as a Bandit.

Keeping the other half happy is what life is all about, mate. This has an intriguing look about it. No Bech-Jensen and the change at reserve -- Plymouth have the potential to win big, or wobble. Berwick have no Barrett and (probably) no Smith. Has Kasper Lykke ever seen Plymouth? But Berwick did the business at Glasgow with four riders, and with Edward Kennett liable to get six riders, it is possible. Enjoy your 500 miles -- Berwickers following the colours will be double that!

Too right about the tactical howler, although in truth three more points on their total wouldn't have got the Devils anything extra in terms of league points. Glasgow Tigers' promotion once used a less-shocking boo-boo as an excuse to sack the best team manager they ever had! (Not that I'm advocating that Plymouth do anything like that, it is just one that Lee T is going to have to live with for a long, long time).

Aye, the statement said exactly that. Unfortunately, it seems Tigers will end up with a low-cost rider filling the hole.

Jesus, do you keep these on file? Dym and Magosi were the previous promoter's signings and comments, probably eight or ten years ago. Charlie Gjedde's bikes were torched when he rode for Newport, and I'm pretty sure the incident wasn't ever commented on by Berwick. As for Barker. He's little, he's Cornish and he's certainly chunky. Seems fair to me.

Technically, Facundo Albin at Sheffield is Spanish. Insofar as he uses a Spanish passport.

Who was the referee? It really is a decision down to him/her and no-one else if a meeting goes ahead or not.

Foam-fences are almost certainly much-more-durable than airbags. King's Lynn remove and replace theirs for each meeting, so have the problem of lifting and storing -- although the squabs are easier, I understand, to lift and stack than deflated, shale-covered airbags. Berwick are more fortunate, their foamfence is permanently installed, and stands there all year long. It was even there in mid-winter, when the football was broadcast on ESPN. I understand it gets power-washed each week, but require no other attention. Once installed, the foam jobs are by far the better option, not needing any generators, pre-meeting inflation, delays when punctured by a bike, etc, etc.

Did the drop-off in form by the team coincide with the change in team manager?

I agree that Dudley might have found a seventh rider, even another guest -- it isn't as if the match means anything, other than an entertaining night out for the Berwick customrs. Will there be any Heathens' followers at Shielfield Park?

Interesting topic, with better-stated viewpoints than usual. Is this what the BSF is supposed to be like? While I forsee some form of amalgalgamation, I am sure there will be a greater degree of caution than in the past, and at least half the current PL clubs will opt to stay with, or drop into, an extended NL. Certainly those aware of what happened to the "promoted" clubs in both 1990/91 and again in 1995/96 will be supping with a very long spoon when they sit down to talk about any form of reorganisation.

Of course the regulations will include foam-fences (as at King's Lynn and Berwick) described by BSPA Chairman as "the next generation of safety barriers, safer than air fences". British tracks will be required to have one of the (several) FIM-approved "soft" barriers in place before the circuit will be licensed to stage speedway next year or beyond. I don't however think Uncle Len's chicken-wire fence is of a type currently approved by the FIM, somehow.

Not just the track, which was awful, I agree. The infield was untrimmed and shaggy, there seemed to be only one (admittedly, a small New Holland job) tractor in service -- and the way the airfence parted to let Rory Schlein pass through and whack into the metal retaining fence was frightening. What is worse -- Poole are one of the smarter EL circuits!

There are opinions on whether a rider and/or his club should be fined. Newcastle were fined for being understength and Lindgren for not turning up -- a total of £500 I am told, not sure how much to each. Rye House would surely be fined for being understrength, Nelson probably not.

The Tigers survived for years with shoestring teams. Adding to the wage-bill of a promotion which has clarified it currently loses money every week is hardly a sensible business proposition. Sean Courtney is a better option as team manager than anyone since Ian Steel, he knows the sport as a rider and has many contacts and friends who will help him if he is seeking new blood. Along with Alun Biggart's contacts in Denmark, the club -- which has already had several good wins with the same bunch of riders -- can pull through with some minor surgery. The new faces recruited by the 'bring someone to hold onto' campaign probably wouldn't be put off by a thumping, new people are delighted to see bikes skidding at close quarters and a crash or two -- what will drive them away, probably forever, is covering them with dust. Which is inexcusable.